Feral Hogs

Feral hogs in Alabama pose a serious threat to native wildlife. High reproductive rates, a lack of natural predators, voracious omnivorous feeding habits, destructive rooting behavior and habitat destruction are just a few reasons why Alabama sportsmen and land managers are encouraged to help control this non-native species. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that feral hogs cause more than $800 million of agricultural damage in the United States annually.

Feral hogs are considered a game animal in Alabama and have no closed season and no bag limits. This means that on private land, hunters can legally hunt hogs every day of the year with no harvest restrictions. Hogs can be stalk hunted by moving slowly through areas with choice foods like acorns or agricultural crops or stand hunted along trails leading to food sources or bedding areas. When hunting on a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) a hunting license, management area permit, and management area license are required.

Wildlife Damage Permits are available to those individuals experiencing damage to property by feral hogs. Contact your local Conservation Enforcement Officer or local Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries District office for more information regarding this permit.